Faire Games
by seeknot2alterme
Summary: Emma Swan reluctantly takes a job at a Renaissance festival on weekends with her friends the Nolans. She makes new friends and develops maybe something even a little more than friendship with the festival's resident pirate.
1. Chapter 1

Of all the places in the world, the last place Emma Swan expected to be was a renaissance festival. Everywhere she looked there was some sort of magical creature, whether actor or fairytale fanatic, she was totally out of her depth. Not to mention she could barely breathe in one of the costumes her dearest friend, Mary Margaret brought over last night.

This past year had been one of the roughest she'd had since the year Neal left her pregnant and on the hook for the watches he'd stolen. She wasn't sure anything would beat that year, but this one defiantly gave it a run for its money. The apartment building her and Henry had been living in was sold and everyone was evicted, she'd lost her job a week after that, landing both her and her four year old son on the doorstep of her oldest friends, the Nolans.

Emma thanked her lucky stars everyday for her friends. When she'd met them, she was 4 months pregnant and serving community service at the same homeless shelter that Mary Margaret was volunteering at. Emma was living in a Woman's Shelter until she was practically dragged home by the cheerful and optimistic woman. She lived there with them until she gave birth, got a job and made enough money to get back on her feet. She'd never thought years later, she'd be right back where she started.

The Nolan's were by far the most perfect couple she'd ever seen in her entire life. A modern day Snow White and Prince Charming. It was almost nauseating. They lived in a very quaint house in the suburbs and while they did not yet have children, they were definitely planning to. During the week Mary Margaret was a substitute teacher and David worked at the local animal shelter.

Thankfully though,the Nolan's were a part of a local renaissance faire on the weekends and were able to pull some strings to get her in. After two weeks of acting classes and training sessions, and finding Henry a baby sitter, Emma was ready to start her first day.

"Damn thing!" Emma whispered harshly, tugging at her corset. Not only was the contraption tight, she definitely wasn't used to showing this much skin to crowds of people. She was making her way to the bar she'd be working at every weekend for the foreseeable future. Her corset was too tight and her shoes were uncomfortable. As far as she was concerned she didn't know how anyone had lived in this time period.

The day was rough. Emma wasn't used to being someone else all day, having to be constantly aware of her word choice, the things she said. She managed to keep herself pretty well together, that was until a seemingly drunken pirate stumbled into her bar.

He was handsome, that she was certain of. His disheveled dark hair, stubbled jaw, and ice blue eyes, he was more than easy to look at. However, she quickly learned he was just as much of a pest you'd expect a pirate to be.

"Well hello lass, you're new and that means you haven't had the pleasure of meeting me yet," he bowed low, nearly disappearing behind the bar, staggering a little on his way up. "Well, I'm sure you could wager a guess at who I am, love," he said with a cocky grin, placing his left arm on her bar, a shiny hook where his hand should have been.

"Oh you're kidding me," she said without thought and instantly bit her bottom lip in frustration. "What I meant to say was… You must be Captain Hook, tales of your dastardly deeds have spread throughout the kingdom. Of course I know who you are."

"Aye, good thing love. I'm sure you've heard of my way with the ladies as well?" he said, his voice lowering an octave.

Emma just rolled her eyes and moved further down the bar to take orders from actual customers.

"Lassie, I wasn't finished with you yet," he said leaning over the bar, a finger on his good hand beckoning her.

"Well I was finished with you, _pirate_. I've got sober paying customers to tend to."

"Now now love, I'll win your affections. Least you could do for me is refill my flask," he said with a wink, handing her his empty flask.

Emma quickly grabbed his flask, filled it and offered it back, "Have a good day captain."

He quickly grabbed her hand, placing a kiss across her knuckles, "You have a wonderful day lass. I'll be seeing you again," he whispered before taking his flask and stumbling off to wreak havoc in another part of the fairgrounds.

Even at the risk of breaking character Emma couldn't help but mumble a few choice swear words under her breath.

The rest of her day went by smoothly. Emma made good tips, and with the dashing, yet extremely annoying pirate nowhere to be seen, she had no trouble staying in character.

She really wished David and Mary Margaret were there to make her first day a lot smoother but the only times she saw them was during the parade that went around the faire three times a day. The Nolan's had worked at the Renaissance Faire for years but it was only the last two years they were asked to play the part of King and Queen. Of course, in Emma's opinion it was completely ridiculous, but she also thought there wasn't a couple better to play the part.

So Emma had to wait til the end of the day, when all the park goers had gone and the actors and crew were able to leave as well and head back to their camp grounds. Everyone that was a part of the faire was required to stay on the grounds for the weekend because the mornings were so early and the nights were so late.

"Emma!" she heard someone call as soon as she stepped out of her tent, back in her own clothes. Two arms wrapped tightly around her and she knew instantly it was Mary Margaret.

"How was your first day? Did you have fun? Was everyone nice?" she rushed out before finally releasing her.

"I'm twenty two and I'm working at a Renaissance Faire… It went about as well as could be expected."

"Well, David and I are thirty and we work here," she countered, offering a smile. Everything about Mary Margaret was sweet. From her pink peacoat to her charmingly naive optimism.

"Yeah, but you two are special… you know weird." Emma teased and she linked arms with her friend, heading toward the bonfire they could see just beyond the tents. "You also both have other jobs. You just do this for fun. I'm doing this because my son needs clothes and food and I can still look for a real job during the workweek."

"Henry has a wonderful Mom," David said appearing beside Mary Margaret. He smiled over at Emma like a proud father before dropping a kiss to Mary Margaret's cheek.

Once they reached the campfire, they introduced Emma to all their friends. Leroy, Regina, Belle, Robin, and several others. Of course, Emma was already well acquainted with Mary Margaret's other friend Ruby, whose Grandmother was the one taking care of Henry. It wasn't until Emma's cheeks hurt from smiling politely at everyone that she noticed a certain pirate sitting across the bonfire from them.

"Who is that?" Emma whispered to David, nodding her head in the direction of her pest from earlier that day.

"His name is Killian Jones. He's been here for a year now. Mostly just hangs out with one of the actors in the fairy gardens. Why? Did he bother you? Do you need me to have words with him? I've heard he's a little inappropriate." David said, his eyes sizing the man up instantly.

"Calm down _Dad,_ " Emma huffed, rolling her eyes. "He stopped by the bar earlier today. I was just wondering."

She watched him from across the bonfire. He was absorbed in a conversation with a small petite blonde who was sitting next to him. Once the blonde had disappeared Emma excused herself from the Nolans and made her way over.

"So I see that you actually have a left hand. What am I supposed to call you now, Captain Hand?"

"Haha, very funny lass. My name is Killian Jones, but you can call me whatever you'd like," he spoke, a sly grin spreading across his face.

Emma was surprised to find his accent was real, if not even a little thicker. He was still quite handsome, without his guyliner and leather. He was wearing a grey sweater with dark jeans and boots and Emma had to wonder which outfit she prefered.

"So what the hell was your deal today pirate? Or do you even remember? You were pretty inebriated."

"It's called acting love. I don't drink on the job, I pour it out so I can visit the bars," he mumbled, his hand coming to scratch behind his ear nervously.

"Well it was very convincing. I was pretty sure you were actually an asshole,"

"I'm a pirate… I'm supposed to be an arsehole," he said finally looking up at her. "But if you'd like to get to know me a little better… you could find out for yourself," he snarked, waggling his eyebrows.

Emma could tell he had gone back to hiding behind his pirate persona. If there was one thing Emma Swan knew it was walls and this guy had walls nearly as high as hers.

"I think I'll take a raincheck Captain. I'll see you around… hopefully not in the same way I saw you today," she warned.

"Like I said love, I will win your affections," he called after her as she retreated back to her group of friends. "Any chance of me getting your name?" he called after her retreating form.

"It's Emma Swan, we'll see if you get a chance to use it," she said unable to resist the tease.

Emma said a quick goodnight to David and Mary Margaret before retreating back to her tent. She had to make sure she got back to call Granny and check on Henry before it got too late.

"Hello mama!" the happy voice of her four year old greeted her.

"Hey kid! How was your day? Did you have fun with Granny?" she said, a bittersweet smile on her face. She hated leaving him on the weekends but she got to spend all the other days of the week with him at the moment and she really needed the money.

"She gave me ice cream and pancakes! We went to the park," he said before taking a break to yawn.

"She wore you out huh? Well you be a good boy and go straight to bed for Granny okay?"

"Okay mama! I see you soon?"

"Of course kid. I'll see you soon."

Emma took comfort in Henry's happy voice and tucked herself into her sleeping bag and drifted off to sleep, dreaming her her sweet little boy, corsets, and a pair of startling blue eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

Nothing in Emma's life had prepared her for sleeping on the ground in November. The ground was hard and cold and covered in rocks. She woke up far before she was required to and found she was unable to go back to sleep because she was cold and had a pain in her back that rivaled the back pain she had from carrying Henry around for nine months. Emma had missed her first night at the campgrounds because she'd been unable to get Henry settled with Granny until early Friday morning. So she'd had to rush to make it in time for her first day, while most everyone else arrived to camp Thursday evening.

After thirty minutes Emma finally gave up hope for more sleep and grabbed her shower bag and headed in the direction of the on site bathroom. However, walking to the bathroom in the dark half asleep turning out to not be the best idea Emma's had when she runs straight into a solid form.

"Bloody hell Swan, are you sleepwalking?" he asked reaching out to steady her.

"No, no I'm sorry. I'm not quite awake yet and I haven't put my contacts in… and it's dark." she grumbled, taking a step back. She paused a moment, taking in his appearance. It was obvious he'd already showered, his hair damp was even more of a mess than it normally seemed to be. She continued to be struck by how handsome he was and it was extremely irritating.

"Having a hard time sleeping in a tent?" he said, his head gesturing toward the campsite.

"No, well yes… the ground is cold and rocky," she said, clutching her clothes and cosmetic bag tighter to her chest almost as if to emphasise the chill in the air.

"I've got an extra sleeping bag and mat, if you want it you can have it."

"No, really… I'll be fine," she quickly assured.

"Just because you're used to adapting to tough situations, doesn't mean you have to."

She stared at him, struck by how quickly he'd picked up on that. "What? How did-I need to shower," she said moving around him, picking up her pace.

As she showered Emma tried to figure out how that frustrating man had called her out on something so few people knew. It wasn't that big of a detail, but it was a detail and Emma didn't share her life with many people… much to Mary Margaret's chagrin.

Emma was just ready for this weekend to be over so she could get back to her little boy. She'd been gone one day and she missed him more than she thought possible. They hadn't had an easy start but they were best friends and she dreaded these weekends apart. She'd been alone so long and now she felt as though she had more people in her life than she knew what to do with. She was content with it just being her and Henry and the Nolans, but something inside her told her she was only going to be adding more.

"So, I noticed you talking with Killian last night," Mary Margaret said, hiding her grin behind her apple.

Emma didn't think she'd get to see much of her friend during the day but apparently "Queens have to eat too Emma" or at least that's what Mary Margaret told her when she pulled her from her bar to eat lunch back at the camp grounds.

"I really don't want to talk about it. He'd come into the bar earlier that day and was irritating and I wanted to know what his deal was. Nothing else."

"Yeah, maybe. But he's cute."

"Mary Margaret! You're a married woman," Emma said, sarcasm evident in her tone.

"Emma, you're not a nun… you are allowed to think men are cute and even, god forbid, date one. Not every man is Neal… and if they are David will take care of them."

"Mary Margaret… I'm happy with it just being Henry and me. And of course you and David. I don't need anyone else, especially a man."

"I know you're happy Emma, but that doesn't mean love wouldn't also make you happy."

"Not all of us are meant to find their Prince Charming. What you and David have is special."

Emma thought about telling Mary Margaret about Killian reading her like a book and having the nerve to call her out on it, but she knew that would probably only further encourage the woman to bring them together.

Mary Margaret just sighed, knowing pushing Emma was never a good idea.

"How's Henry doing with Granny?"

"Oh he's in heaven. She feeding him nothing but pancakes and powdered sugar I'm sure."

"I bet you're missing him like crazy."

"I am, of course I am… We've never been a part for more than a day and he's four," she said with a sad smile.

"You're only here so you can provide for him."

"I know but I worry he'll think I'm an absent mother… or a bad mother… or just wish I wasn't his mother."

It wasn't often Emma let her insecurities show, but she could never help herself when it came to Mary Margaret. Emma was terrified of letting Henry down, she always had been. She didn't have a mother growing up, passed around from foster home to group home until she was eighteen and was forced to leave the system.

"Emma Swan! You are an excellent mother! I only hope that one day, when I become a mother, I'm half the mom you are," she said as her eyes dropped to the table, sadness laced in her words.

Emma reached across the table and grabbed Mary Margaret's hand so fast it startled her. "You will be a mother and when you are you will be amazing. You're amazing with Henry and hell, you're amazing with me and I'm the biggest pain in the ass there's ever been."

"Emma, David and I love you and Henry so much and we are both so glad you two are a part of our family," Mary Margaret said squeezing the hand that had been clasped around hers.

"I am too," was all Emma said, but those three words meant so much to the pair of them.

As she returned back to her station and continued on with her day, she assumed it would be a walk in the park. She'd kept herself in character without faltering all day and her lunch with her best friend had left her in good spirits.

However, she realized, as she saw him approaching that she was promised another visit from a very convincing drunken pirate. She turned her back to the entrance of the bar to fiddle with the various alcohol bottles that lined the back counter.

"Excuse me love, I know you're trying to avoid me. The question is why? Is it because you're not sure you can resist my devilishly good looks?"

"I'll have you know…" she said whipping around to face him and give him a piece of her mind, when she stopped short. "What is that?" she asked.

He was leaning on the bar, a flower crown dangling from the end of his hook. "Well love, it's a crown for Milady," he answered like it was obvious, a big grin playing across his handsome features.

Emma eyed him carefully before taking the crown from his hook and placing it on her head. "I'd say I'm flattered but I'm sure it's just a prize from a recent conquest, and I'm sure you give tokens to all the maidens," she teased, pride swelling in her chest as she responded to him in character.

"Is that what you think of me Swan? Just a dirty pirate? I'm wounded, I spent good money on that crown and I'll have you know I don't shower ordinary maidens with gifts. You love, are special."

"And I'm sure you say that to all the maidens," she said moving around the counter, making her way over to him slowly. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of him so close up. She purposely crowed his space in an attempt to throw him off guard but quickly realized it didn't when he just flashed her a cheeky grin.

"However, I suppose any attention from the famous Captain Hook is good attention right? I'm sure every lass in the land would kill for the chance of a quick dalliance with you," she said, easily turning on her flirtatiousness.

She insouciantly rolled her hips toward him and fluttered her long eyelashes, smiling smugly as his cheeks flushed, "Well I suppose I should thank you properly for my crown?"

"Well, I do believe a thank you is in order." he said tapping his lips with the index finger of his good hand.

She placed a hand right in the middle of his chest where his shirt hung open, revealing coarse dark chest hair. She walked him backwards toward the open entrance of the bar and just when she reached the threshold she shoved him outside.

"Sorry love. There's no room for dirty drunk pirates in my bar."

"I prefer dashing rapscallion," he said with a wink, but turned and moved on to continue his route through the faire.

"So Mary Margaret is substitute teaching on Tuesday so I was thinking that maybe I could take you and Henry to the new medieval history museum?" David said as he walked with Emma back toward the campground. They were both moving slower than normal after a long day on their feet.

"Why does a small town like Storybrooke have a big new museum?" Emma scoffed but gave David a gentle smile. Emma had come to the Nolans with not the best experience with men. To say her and David had a rough start was an understatement but he was a patient man and she quickly found he was not like any man she'd ever met.

"Because they are trying to attract tourists. You know Henry will love it, and you can just think of it as a character study," he teased.

"It sounds great David. Thank you."

Emma stopped in front of her tent to grab her clothes, but stopped short because sitting in front of her tent was a sleeping bag and a mat to go underneath it. She sighed and rolled her eyes, "I told him I didn't need this stuff," she whispered, but put the things in her tent anyway.

"Who left that for you?"

"Killian. I ran into him this morning. I had a bit of trouble sleeping because of the cold and he offered and it seems, even though I told him no, he didn't listen."

"Look Emma, if he's bothering you I can have a talk with him."

"David, he brought me a sleeping bag, and while I told him I didn't need it it's not like he pulled my pigtail on the playground or put frogs in my desk."

"Good evening Miss Swan," Killian greeted, stepping over the low log she was perched on and sat down next to her, the fire warm against their skin.

"Are we gonna talk about what happened today or just jump to that thank you kiss," he said tapping the neck of her beer bottle with his own.

"I'm not going to kiss you Jones, but I do want to… thank you," she said stiffly, not looking up from the flames.

"Ah, so you found my gift then? There are other ways I could help you get warm, and I still have half ownership over that sleeping bag."

"Look man, you've got to stop saying things like that," she said, her jaw tightening in frustration.

"Why, is it too tempting for you?" he asked, his eyebrow arching saucily.

"I'm not… I don't do relationships. I have more important things to worry about."

"I'm sorry love. I promise to lay off, that is, until you change your mind."

"Not going to happen, pirate."

"We'll see about that Swan. There's something you should know about me, and that's I can be a very patient man. And a very persistent one," he said flashing her a cheeky grin before leaving her to join his blonde haired friend on the other side of the crowd. 

Relief flooded Emma as she took the steps to Granny's apartment two at a time. The last day of the weekend had gone by quicker than expected. A certain pirate didn't visit her bar that day, but the most confusing part of that was she couldn't figure out if she was disappointed or relieved.

As soon as her work day was over she packed her camping gear, along with the extra sleeping bag and mat and skipped the end of the weekend fireworks show and drove her bug home as fast as she could.

Joy filled Emma's heart as she dropped her purse in Granny's doorway and was greeted with the sound of running feet and the sight of her boy's smiling face.

"Mommy!" he squealed and ran straight into her arms.

"Hey kid. Are you ready to go home?"

"Yes! I want to go with you! I want to go home!" he said, his little arms wrapped tightly around her neck.

"Good. You and I are going to have a special week," she said smoothing down his hair before grabbing her purse and his weekend bag that was already waiting by the door.

Emma thanked Granny before she and Henry set off towards the Nolan's home. She was more ready than ever to get back to her job search and spend some quality time with her son.


End file.
